"DO I NOT LIKE THESE"

The former England manager was today unveiled as the new face (and foot) of The Sho’ot, a specially-designed shoe to help football managers stay on their feet.

Taylor is the clothes horse for a new smart casual shoe with a difference. Equipped with non-slip studs in the soles, the Sho’ot has been designed with modern football managers in mind. Embodying the values of high-end tailoring, the shoe’s innovative design will prevent managers from slipping over on the touchline. Just like Rafa does here:

Video game makers Football Manager commissioned the innovation in shoesmanship to find a solution to the ultimate gaffer’s gaffe – slipping over in his Armani suit while prowling the touchlines.

With 70% of football managers donning suits on match day, smart shoes needed a pragmatic makeover to reflect fashion evolution.

Speaking about the Sho’ots, Graham Taylor said: “I can see these catching on, they are so comfortable and look great. The new shoes are a real reflection of how managers are evolving – combining style with the practicality that the modern manager needs. Wearing a suit on the sidelines helps retain the respect needed to run a modern club but it’s important that British football managers never leave pitch side. We can’t be too aloof and sit in the stands. Wearing the Sho’ots allows managers to be influential in the game while keeping their feet firmly on the ground.”

Piloting and testing the Sho’ots with Graham Taylor, a manager long been associated with the traditional tracksuits of the 1980s game, the Football Manager team behind the accessory hopes to have solved an age old occupational hazard of management.

It’s also hoped that the new chic boot will catch on and assist the likes of modern managers Jose Mourinho and Andre Villas Boas. No doubt Roberto Mancini will order a pair to match his scarf collection too.

Miles Jacobson, Studio Director for Football Manager 2012, commented: “This is a real step forward, with the winter approaching the Sho’ot will be a revelation for football managers. The game, Football Manager, has always reflected the difficult situations that managers have to deal with. It’s great to be able solve a fundamental problem modern managers encounter.’

Football Manager 2012™ is the latest iteration of the award-winning Football Manager series. Selling in excess of 7 million copies worldwide, Football Manager has been topping the UK PC charts for the last seven years.